Packed!

We’re completely packed for Europe! These packs contain everything we’ll need for our seven-week trip. We were able to pack all we need using just one carry-on-size bag for each person. Well, almost everything. There are a few items that will have to wait until later in the week.

Jim managed to leave a pair of pants in his school locker. Since God knows what else is in that locker, he’s bringing a nearly empty backpack to school tomorrow and filling it with the locker’s contents.

Nora has a swim party on Thursday so she’s holding onto her suit until then.

I’m holding on to my laptop till the bloody end, and my iPod, camera, and some financial items won’t be packed until the final day either.

That clipboard in the picture has our list of items to be packed at the last minute.

My pack is 30 pounds, while Nora’s bag weighs in at a demure 17. But all of us are well below the 20 kilos that would result in an expensive surcharge on the discount airlines we’re using to get around Europe.

What is it with Greek hotels and email? I’ve tried to contact three or four different places to reserve a room near Meteora and none of them have replied yet. As you might guess, Expedia doesn’t cover that area either. I might have to resort to 19th-century technology — a telephone — to arrange a room. Here’s hoping whoever answers the phone speaks English. My Greek is limited to the few classical words I learned in college — arete, eros, philia, and so on.

In just four days, we’ll be off on the trip of a lifetime, and I’ll be reporting back here as often as I can manage.